Common App Online:
The Applicant Perspective
Agenda
This presentation looks at the processing life cycle of a student’s
application – from registration to submission.
The CAO
2011-12 Common Application
Registration
Navigation
Submission
Objectives
• Learn about functionality
and flow within the CAO
• Go through the application
process from an applicants
perspective
Login Screen
http://www.commonapp.org
Login Screen
http://www.commonapp.org
Students register by clicking
Go here
Creating a New Account
Inline help menus
address commonly
asked questions.
Registration
instructions reinforce
that accounts are
valid for the current
admission cycle only.
Creating a New Account
Students can give colleges permission to contact them. This election can be
changed at any time by going to Account settings.
Creating a New Account
Students can give colleges permission to contact them. This election can be
changed at any time by going to Account settings.
Enrollment intent is used to gather statistics on CAO users.
Instructions
Students are taken to
the main Instructions
page upon completing
the registration process.
A brief video offers an
overview of the
application.
Navigation Menu
The navigation menu appears on
the left side of the screen.
Students can move through the
application by clicking through
each of the sections.
Getting to the Search Engine
By clicking on Search for Colleges on the left-hand navigation menu, the
student is brought to the Simple Search page.
The Search Engine
On either the Simple
Search or the
Advanced Search,
entering in search
criteria and clicking
on the
button…
The Search Engine
On either the Simple
Search or the
Advanced Search,
entering in search
criteria and clicking
on the
button… brings the
user to the Search
Results screen.
The Search Results Screen
From here, schools
can be mapped…
The Search Results Screen
From here, schools
can be mapped…
… and searches can be saved.
Comparing Schools
Clicking on the
button from the search results screen allows students
to compare up to three different institutions.
Clicking on the categories at the top (e.g. Admissions) will display different sets
of relevant data.
Adding a College
To add a school,
check the box
next to its name
and click on Add
to get to the My
Colleges screen.
Adding a College
The QuickAdd feature allows you to bypass the search screen if you know the
school name.
Adding a College
The QuickAdd feature allows you to bypass the search screen if you know the
school name.
Clicking on a school option
that appears in this list will
activate the QuickAdd
button.
My Colleges
To view school
information…
My Colleges
To view school
information… click on
the school’s name –
the info at the bottom
refreshes.
The Common Application
After searching for and adding colleges, the user moves on to the Common
Application itself, beginning with the Future Plans section with
college-specific questions.
Data Suppression
Some colleges may elect not to receive certain information, even if
students include that information as part of their application.
“Suppressible” items include:
-SSN
-Religious Preference
-Self-Reported Testing
-Discipline Information
Required Questions
Throughout the Common Application, applicants will come across required
questions which will be marked in bold and gold.
Error Messages
When students
decline to answer
required questions, a
system message is
displayed at the top of
the page letting the
user know which
questions have not
been answered
successfully.
These questions are
also highlighted in the
form itself.
Dynamic Questions
While navigating the Common Application, take note of questions with
dynamically-displayed content. When an applicant selects one answer…
Citizenship Status (Demographics):
Parent Living (Family):
Dynamic Questions
While navigating the Common Application, take note of questions with
dynamically-displayed content. When an applicant selects one answer… new
questions pursuant to that answer will appear dynamically.
Citizenship Status (Demographics):
Parent Living (Family):
CEEB Codes
The CEEB code look-up feature populates school information to the Common
Application automatically.
CEEB Codes
The CEEB code look-up feature populates school information to the Common
Application automatically.
CEEB Codes
The CEEB code look-up feature populates school information to the Common
Application automatically.
Printing and PDFs
Students can check
their progress at any
time by clicking
Preview at the top of
the page. This will
bring up a PDF copy
of the application.
Signature
On the final section of the
Common Application, students
affirm that they have previewed
their application and then select
schools for submission before
clicking on Submit.
Signature
After a successful submission
the student is brought back to
their My Colleges page and can
view status information about
other areas of their Common
Application.
Errors in Submission
If there are still some unanswered required questions, they are displayed as
clickable links that, when clicked, take the student directly to the
unanswered question.
Unanswered, required
questions are highlighted.
Supplements
Working down the left-hand navigation menu, students will arrive at the
Supplements section.
Supplements
Working down the left-hand navigation menu, students will arrive at the
Supplements section.
Payments
Unless a school requires
payment before
submission, students will
be prevented from paying
at the beginning.
Payment Vendor
Students electing to pay by Credit
Card or eCheck are taken to the
website for our payment vendor
where they must:
1) Agree to the terms and conditions
2) Fill out payer information
3) Enter Payment Method &Information
4) Click Submit
Payment Confirmation
After clicking on “Submit” the student will receive a processing message...
Followed by a confirmation page...
Payment Receipt
Students who pay by Credit Card
or eCheck can print a receipt.
Payments – Mail Check
The Mail Check option records
a student’s intent to mail a
check to the college.
Payments – Fee Waivers
Students may also request a Fee Waiver on the Payment Page.
All members agree to accept
both the NACAC and College
Board Fee Waivers. Online
counselors can submit the
NACAC Fee Waiver online.
Some members use an
“Other” Fee Waiver option.
Students must contact these
institutions for eligibility
information.
Payments
Color coded icons
make it easier for
applicants to see the
status of their
payments.
Payment submission
is NOT tied to
Common App
submission and is a
distinctly separate
submission process.
Three Distinct Submissions
The Application,
Payment, and
Supplement
submissions are
three distinct
processes. Students
should refer to the
My Colleges page to
confirm that all
required items have
been submitted
properly.
School Forms
When students first click on
School Forms, they will need
to complete the FERPA
Waiver.
School Forms
When students first click on
School Forms, they will need
to complete the FERPA
Waiver.
After completing the waiver,
applicants can Invite
Officials to provide
recommendations.
School Forms: Naviance View
Naviance Schools using eDocs are flagged in the CAO system. When
students from these schools arrive in the School Forms section, they are
instructed to consult with their counselor.
Inviting School Officials
On the Invitation page
applicants answer a few
brief questions about the
school official and click on
Send Invitation to notify
the official of the request.
Inviting School Officials
On the Invitation page
applicants answer a few
brief questions about the
school official and click on
Send Invitation to notify
the official of the request.
If the student selects
Teacher, a dynamic subject
question appears.
Assigning an Official
Once the required information has
been filled out on the School
Official Details page, officials can
then be assigned to schools on the
School Forms page.
One counselor and multiple
teachers can be identified for
School Forms (depending on the
requirements of each member
school).
Monitor School Forms
Students can monitor
status information on
these pages. They can also
delete school officials or
resend the notification
email to counselors or
teachers who have yet to
begin a form.
Opting Out
The School Forms page
changes if teachers or
counselors click on the
opt-out link from the
system-generated email
the students sends
them.
Printable PDF school
forms can be mailed to
a college/university.
Finding Money for College
We will talk about:
•
•
•
•
Federal student aid
State student aid
Student aid from colleges
Scholarships from other sources
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We will answer:
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is financial aid?
Who can get it?
How much can I get?
How do I apply?
What happens next?
Where can I get more info?
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What is financial aid?
• Money to pay for college or career
school
– Grants
– Loans
– Work-study
– Scholarships
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Who can get federal student
aid?
• U.S. citizen or (usually) permanent
resident
• High school graduate/GED holder
• Eligible degree/certificate program
• Valid Social Security number
• Males registered for Selective Service
• Satisfactory academic progress
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Who can get other kinds of
financial aid?
• States, colleges, and private
scholarships have their own
eligibility criteria.
• Be sure you know what you need
to do to qualify.
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How much federal student aid
can I get?
In general, depends on your financial need.
• Financial need determined by Expected Family
Contribution (EFC) and cost of attendance
(COA)
• EFC comes from what you report on FAFSA
• COA is tuition, fees, room and board,
transportation, etc.
COA – EFC = financial need
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How much federal student aid
can I get?
Example: first-year student in 2007-08
Maximum amounts allowed:
•
•
•
•
•
Federal Pell Grant: approx. $4,310
Academic Competitiveness Grant: $750
Federal Stafford Loan: $3,500
Federal Perkins Loan: $4,000
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant:
$4,000
• Federal Work-Study: depends on funds available at school
• Federal PLUS Loan (for parents): COA minus other aid
received
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How much state, school and
scholarship money can I get?
• Depends on the program: do your
research!
– Our state aid: [input URL for state govt]
– Ask college financial aid offices for info
about aid available at their schools
– Free scholarship search:
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/funding
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How do I apply for aid?
• Federal student aid: fill out Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at
www.fafsa.ed.gov
• State aid: [insert info about any state forms
necessary and where to get them]
• School aid: contact financial aid office at
schools you are considering
• Scholarships: visit scholarship Web site or call
contact number for information
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How do I apply for federal
student aid?
1. Get a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov
•
•
Your parent might need a PIN too
Add the notification e-mail address,
FederalStudentAidPIN@cpsemail.ed.gov
•
to your e-mail address book
Don’t tell anyone your PIN!
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How do I apply for federal
student aid?
2. (Optional) Use FAFSA on the Web
Worksheet to get ready.
•
•
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Get worksheet at
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/worksheet
Use checklist to gather documents you need.
Fill out worksheet to prepare your answers.
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How do I apply for federal
student aid?
3. Fill out your FAFSA online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov
•
•
•
Apply on or after Jan.1 but as early as
possible to meet all deadlines.
Need help? Use “Live Help” icon or
call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Don’t forget to print confirmation
page.
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How do I apply for federal
student aid?
4. Watch for response by e-mail, from
FederalStudentAidFAFSA@cpsemail.ed.gov,
or by mail
•
•
Double-check your information online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov (use your PIN to log on) or
on the paper Student Aid Report mailed to you
Correct any mistakes and update any
information as necessary
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How do I apply for federal
student aid?
5. Watch for e-mails or letters from
the schools you are considering
•
•
Give the schools any additional
paperwork they ask for
Meet all deadlines or you could miss
out on aid!
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What happens next?
•
•
Each school will tell you how much
aid you can get at that school.
Once you decide which school to
attend, keep in touch with the
financial aid office to find out when
and how you will get your aid.
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Where can I get more info?
• www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov
– Information about aid programs
– Free scholarship search
– Free college search
• 1-800-4-FED-AID
– Information about aid programs
– Help with the FAFSA
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www.collegeresults.org
www